Thanks to an array of advanced cooking appliances, today’s kitchens are capable of creating truly exceptional meals for every occasion. After each meal, it’s time to clean your cooking space, and a high-quality garbage disposal can help easily rid your home of food waste.

Many homeowners turn to garbage disposals to handle their waste problems. These units are fitted to the waste pipe of your kitchen sink, and are designed to grind up food waste tossed down your drain. Garbage disposals come in two standard models — continuous feed and batch feed. But which type of garbage disposal is right for your kitchen? To help you make an informed choice, we’ve compiled some useful information on both types of common garbage disposals.

Continuous Feed Garbage Disposals

Continuous feed garbage disposals are turned on with a switch as you run water down your sink’s drain, grinding food waste as long as the switch is flipped. These units allow you to easily tackle large amounts of waste, as you can easily turn on the disposal whenever necessary or simply leave it running while cleaning up. Moreover, these units are typically less expensive than batch feed disposals, making them particularly popular amongst today’s homeowners.

A continuous feed garbage disposal is sure to meet your needs, but these models do have a few drawbacks. The switch operation system can be a potential safety hazard, as the unit will run as long as the switch is flipped. This means that you need to be careful if you have to reach down the drain to retrieve non-waste items, as an accidentally flipped switch will cause a major accident. Continuous feed disposals can also cause a slight increase in your utility bills, as most manufacturers recommend you run cold water down the drain when using the appliance.

Batch Feed Garbage Disposals

Batch feed garbage disposals are designed to grind up individual batches of food waste, and come with a special cover that goes over your sink drain and on top of the disposal. This cover aligns with the top of the disposal to turn it on, shredding any waste within the unit.

If safety is your top concern, a batch feed garbage disposal is a great choice. These disposals only operate when the cover is properly placed on the unit, making them a safer option than continuous feed models. Moreover, the disposal cover eliminates the possibility of utensils or other items falling down the drain while the appliance is in use. However, it’s important to note that these models are ideally suited for eliminating small amounts of food waste, as you can only grind up waste in individual batches. This means that getting rid of large amounts of food can take a long time, presenting an inconvenience to some homeowners.

Find the Ideal Garbage Disposal For Your Home

There is no reason for your kitchen to suffer at the hands of food waste, and a powerful garbage disposal will ensure every last remnant of your culinary creations are properly handled. Continuous feed garbage disposals and batch feed garbage disposals are both great choices, and in the end, the best garbage disposal is whichever one meets your home’s needs. With so many options available on today’s market, there’s little doubt that you’ll find the perfect garbage disposal for your kitchen.

Ready to discover your new garbage disposal? You can use this online collection of food disposal appliances, or contact a home appliance professional for additional help.